By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The best teams in the world will battle on 17 and 18 of December for glory and prize money that will reach, for this season in total, more than 2 million USD.
Following an outstanding and innovative 2020 Final, which was one of the first international sporting events in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Sport in coordination with the Saudi Basketball Federation will once again organize the climax of the men’s FIBA 3×3 professional circuit.
Saudi Arabia has become a known destination for major sports events and the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Final will follow just shortly after Jeddah dazzled the world by hosting Saudi Arabia Grand Prix in Formula 1.
The goal behind hosting global events of this magnitude is the continuous and diligent work towards achieving the objectives of “Quality of Life” program, a Vision 2030 initiative.
Riga from Latvia is the heavy favorite of the event, in search of the second FIBA 3×3 World Tour title in a row. The Latvians were crowned champions for the first time last year in Jeddah, after defeating Liman from Serbia behind a Tissot buzzer-beater by Nauris Miezis, 21-20.
The four players of Riga team marked another historic success this summer, becoming the first-ever 3×3 Olympic Gold medalists in Tokyo 2020, where 3×3 basketball made its debut among Olympic disciplines.
The 2021 FIBA 3×3 World Tour Final will be the first event since 2012 without the four-time winners Novi Sad (Serbia) and also the first time ever when no Slovenian team will play in the final, marking the end of dominance for the Balkan teams, that won seven out of nine finals so far.
Two teams will make their debut in the climax event of the FIBA 3×3 professional circuit, Antwerp from Belgium and Graz from Austria.
“For the third time, top impressive teams are present in FIBA 3X3 World Tour in Saudi Arabia, after hosting one of the rounds in 2019, and the World Tour Finals in 2020. There is no doubt that the excellence and experience shown by Saudi youth in previous organizations for such sporting events was a key factor for Saudi Arabia to be chosen once again to host this global tournament in particular, and other sporting events in general”, said Dr. Ghassan Tashkandi, president of the Saudi Basketball Federation.
Here are the 12 participating teams of the event that can be followed LIVE on the FIBA 3×3 YT channel, on 17 and 18 of December.
1. Riga (LAT)
2. Ub (SRB)
3. Liman (SRB)
4. Amsterdam Talent&Pro (NED)
5. Antwerp (BEL)
6. San Juan PCI Group (PUR)
7. Jeddah (KSA)
8. Sakiai Gulbele (LTU)
9. Gagarin (RUS)
10. Princeton (USA)
11. Graz (AUT)
12. Lausanne Sport (SUI)